Toll gate actuatin g device



Jan. 25, 1966 E. GRAN TOLL GATE ACTUATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 18, 1963 INVENTOR [M m 5 612,

,47V'0eA/EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. GRAN Jan. 25, 1966 TOLL GATE AGTUATINGDEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1963 W K R g F W \k M I N VEN TOR. f/w/zf Gran u47' 7'0 ems Y5 United States Patent 3,231,854 Patented Jan. 25, 19663,231,854 TOLL GATE ACTUATIN G DEVICE Emile Gran, 1363 Findlay Ave.,Bronx 56, N.Y. Filed Feb. 18, 1963, Set. No. 259,322

9 Claims. (Cl. 340-32) This invention relates to a toll gate actuatingsystem and more particularly to automatic means for controlling thetrafiic light of a toll gate by a beam actuated from a vehicle.

Modern superhighways often have toll gates spaced along the lengththereof for collecting a suitable amount of money as payment by amotorist for the privilege of using a particular length of the high-way.Various bridges and tunnels likewise require the payment of a toll foruse of these facilities. In up to date trafiic control procedures,various means have been provided for automatically actuatingthe tollgate such as by collection of a token or coin which is placed in achute. However, the prior art automatic toll gate collecting deviceshave proven to be unsatisfactory because they presuppose that themotorist has the correct token or fee. Further, the vehicle must come toa stop and the motorist must then carefully toss acoin into the chute.At various times, the motorist will fail to deposit the coin properlywithin the chute, thus re quiringthe motorist to leave the vehicle,locate the fallen coin and manually deposite the coin again in thechute. This is often time consuming and is hazardous for the motorist.

I It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide meansfor automatically actuating the traflic control device of a toll gate soas to permit a vehicle to properly pass through the toll gate withoutrequiring the use of a token or coin.

* It is a further object of the invention to provide a toll gateactuating system for automatically collecting a fee from a vehicle whichincludes a beam-emitting device actuated by a switch which is coupled toa counter. The counter is adap ted to be preset so as to permit theactuation' of the beam-emitting device a predetermined number of times.Hence, upon prepayment of a cummulative fee, the toll gate actuatingsystem may be utilized a number o'f'times by 'a vehicle along stretchesof a toll highway, through bridges and tunnels, eliminating thenecessity of use of coins ortokens, thereby speeding up traflic andeliminating delay.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision ofja tollgate actuating device which is simple in construction, capable of beinginstalled on various existing makes and models of vehicles, and which isadapted to be installed on all new vehicle models, which is capable ofbeing preset by the proper authorities for emitting a signal which maybe either coded or oriented for selective reception and for allowing forprepayment of a predetermined fee, and which is inexpensive tomanufacture thereby permitting wide use and distribution.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention, thistoll gate actuating system controls a traffic light while automaticallycollecting a fee from a vehicle about to pass through the toll gate, andcomprises a beamemitting device on a vehicle. A switch is provided forselectively actuating the beam-emitting device and is connected thereto.A counter is coupled to the switch for counting the number of times theswitch is actuated. At the toll gate there is provided a beam receiverand there is means connecting the receiver to the traflic light foractuating the trafiic light upon reception of the receiver of a signalfrom the beam-emitting device.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention, which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this toll gate actuating device, a preferredembodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by wayof example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the toll gate actuating systemcomprising an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, with-a portion broken away, ofthe beam-emitting device mounted on the dashboard or in anotherdesirable location on a vehicle;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view in an enlarged scale, illustrating inparticular the switch, counter, and beamemitting device, and showing theswitch coupled to the counter and beam-emitting device;

FIG. 4 is a schematic line diagram of the receiver, an associatedtransducer and relay for controlling the traflic light; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of the transmitter and associatedswitch and counter.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the toll gateactuating system which comprises the present invention. This system 10includes two major parts. There is a beam-emitting device, generallyindicated at 12, mounted on any suitable portion of a vehicle 14, suchas on the dashboard, along the side or front window of the vehicle, orjust behind the grill work of the vehicle. The other important part ofthe invention includes a beam receiver 16 mounted within the toll booth18 and adapted to control a traffic light 20,-

which is of otherwise conventional construction. The traffic light 20has a red lamp 22 and a green lamp 24 mounted one above the other in thenormal, well recognized, positions.

As is usual in toll gate constructions as provided on modernsuperhighways, the toll booths 18 are mounted on islands 26 betweenwhich there is a path 28 over which the vehicle 14 can travel to passbetween the booths and islands. Suitable lane markings 30, extendingacross the path 28, may be provided for indicating the location wherethe beam-emitting device should be actuated.

In an illustrative embodiment of the beam-emitting device 12, as shownin FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the beam-emit ting device 12 is enclosed in asuitable casing 34, mounted in any convenient position, such as belowthe dashboard 36 of the vehicle 14. In this arrangement, the dashboard36 can be provided with an opening 38 through which the actuatingplunger 40' for the beam-emitting device can extend to form apush-button type actuator which can be pressed for operating thebeam-emitting device 12. In lie-u of the location as shown in FIG. 2,the beam-emitting device can be mounted along the side window of thevehicle or in any other convenient location on the vehicle and may beremotely actuated if so desired.

The casing 34 is provided with a door 32 which has a key actuated lock44 for safeguarding the contents of the casing 34. Mounted within thecasing is a counter 36 which is of generally conventional constructionhaving an indicator dial 48 and mechanical means within the counter forcounting the number of times the plunger 40 is depressed. The counter 46may be provided with a resetting lock arrangement 50, actuated by a key52, for permitting the setting on the counter of a specified number oftimes that the plunger 40 can be depressed. A counter of this nature iswell known in the art and is similar in type to a conventional postagemeter which permits the purchaser to prepay the desired amount ofpostage frankage to be used in the future. In like manner, the owner ofthe transmitter can purchase from the authorities the right todepressthe plunger 40 a certain predetermined number of times thus prepayingtolls for the later use. Each actuation of the plunger is of a valuecorresponding to a particular toll rate.

Coupled to the plunger through a coupling bar 52 is a switch 54 foractuating the transmitter 56. The transmitter 56 is preferably in theform of an ultrasonic generator, including a pair of transistors 60 and62, connected as shown in FIG. 5 to provide an electrical signal at apredetermined frequency for application upon a transducer 64 whichchanges the electrical signal into an ultrasonic signalat apredetermined frequency. The transducer 64 may be oriented in anyparticular plane as desired.

The ultransonic receiver 16 includes a transducer 66 oriented in anydesired plane and adapted to convert the ultrasonic siganl received fromthe transducer 64 to an electrical signal which is then amplified by thefive transistor amplifier 68, including transistors 70, 72, '74, 76 and78. The amplifier circuit includes a resonant circuit generallyindicated at 79 tuned to the ultransonic frequency to thus minimizeextraneous pickup. There is a sensitive relay 84), connected to the lastamplifier stage. The relay 80 controls the traffic light 20.

In operation, after the owner of the vehicle has had the counter 46 setat a predetermined number of permitted actuations of the switch by theplunger 40, upon prepayment of the tolls, the vehicle 14 is driven to aposition where in is in alignment with the preselected markings 30 onthe pavent of the path 28. Then, the plunger 40 is depressed, actuatingthe transmitter and reducing the prepaid number of operations asindicated by the counter 48, from, for example, 312 to 311. Uponoperation of the plunger 40, an ultrasonic beam is transmitted by thetransmitter 56 and picked up by the receiver 16, causing the relay 80 tochange the traffic light 20 from the red stop light 22 being lit, to thegreen go light 24 being lit.

Each of the prepaid items, as preset on the counter 46 is of a givenvalue, as for example 25. The highways, tunnels, bridges and other tollgate protected areas have a predetermined value placed on the use offacilities. For example, the cost of using the facility is 25, theplunger need be depressed but once. On the other hand, if, for exmaple,the right to pass through the toll gate is predicated on the payment ofa toll, then, the plunger 40 is depressed twice. Of course, it is muchsimpler to depress the plunger 40 than it is to provide the necessarycoins for depositing in an automatic toll collector, or for passingthrough a toll booth where a guard or official must make change.

Further, the use of this device assures that the requisite fee can be inthe hands of the user of the toll gate protecting facilities.

In lieu of ultrasonic beam projectors, the entire band of frequenciesmay be employed such that other types of beams may be transmitted.However, it is .possible to shield and to protect the receiver 16 fromactuation by a car other than in the pathway 28 when ultrasonic beamtransmission is employed and the booth 18 may be suitably shielded sothat the receiver 16 can only be actuated by a transmitter 12 in theproper location. Further, the distance from the receiver at which thereceiver is effectively operable can be controlled and predetermined.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features will beemployed without the corresponding use of other features. Accordingly,it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in amanner consistent with the spirit and scope of this invention.

1 claim:

1. A toll gate actuating system for control of a traffic light in saidtoll gate system andror automatically collecting a fee from a vehicleabout to pass through said toll gate comprising a beam-emitting deviceon a vehicle, a switch for selectively actuating said beam-emittingdevice connected thereto, a counter coupled to said switch for countingthe number of times said switch is actuated, a beam receiver at saidtoll gate, and means connected to said receiver and to said trafiiclight for actuating said traffic light upon reception by said receiverof a signal from said beam-emitting device.

2. A toll gate actuating sytem for control of a trafiic light in saidtoll gate system and for automatically collecting a fee from a vehicleabout to pass through said toll gate comprising an ultrasonicbeam-emitting transmitter on a vehicle, a switch for selectivelyactuating said beam-emitting device connected thereto, a counter coupledto said switch for counting the number of times said switch is actuated,an ultrasonic beam receiver at said toll gate, and means connected tosaid receiver and to said traflic light for actuating said trafiic lightupon reception by said receiver of a signal from said beam-emittingdevice.

3. An actuating system according to claim 2, wherein said transmitterincludes an ultrasonic generator for generating a signal at apreselected frequency, and an emitting transducer for transmitting saidsignal at said frequency, said receiver including a receivingtransducer, an amplifier connected to said receiving transducer, saidamplifier including a resonant circuit tuned to said frequency.

4. An actuating system according to claim 3, including shielding meansfor said receiving transducer for preventing reception thereby exceptwhen said emitting transducer is within a predetermined location.

5. An actuating system according to claim 2, wherein said transmitterincludes an ultrasonic generator for gena erating a signal at apreselected frequency, and an emitting transducer for transmitting saidsignal at said frequency, said receiver including a receivingtransducer, an amplifier connected to said receiving transducer, saidamplifier including a resonant circuit tuned to said frequency, saidamplifier including a collector circuit having a relay therein, saidrelay being connected to and controlling said trafiic light.

6. In a tool gate actuating system for control of a traffic light insaid tol-l gate system and for automatically collecting a fee from avehicle about to pass through said toll gate and including a receiverfor actuating said traffic light, a beam-emitting device on a vehicleand comprising an ultrasonic generator for generating a signal at apredetermined frequency, a switch for selectively actuating saidgenerator connected thereto, a counter coupled to said switch forcounting the number of times said switch is actuated, and a transducerfor emitting said signal at said frequency.

7. A device according to claim 6, including lock means for safeguardinga preselected setting on said counter for permitting said switch to beactuated at a predetermined number of times.

8. A beam-emitting device for use in a toll gate system comprising abeam generator for generating a signal at a predetermined frequency, atransducer for emitting said signal, a switch for selectively actuatingsaid generator connected thereto, and a counter coupled to said switchfor counting the number of times said switch is actuated. I

9. A beam-emitting device for use in a toll gate system comprising abeam generator for generating a signal at a predetermined frequency, atransducer for emitting said signal, a switch 'for selectively actuatingsaid generator connected thereto, a counter coupled to said switch forcounting the number of times said switch is actuated, and lock means forsafeguarding a preselected setting on said counter for permitting saidswitch and hence said generator to be actuated a predetermined number oftimes.

No references cited.

NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner.

1. A TOLL GATE ACTUATING SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN SAIDTOLL GATE SYSTEM AND FOR AUTOMATICALLY COLLECTING A FEE FROM A VEHICLEABOUT TO PASS THROUGH SAID COIL GATE COMPRISING A BEAM-EMITTING DEVICEON A VEHICLE, A SWITCH FOR SELECTIVELY ACTUATING SAID BEAM-EMITTINGDEVICE CONNECTED THERETO, A COUNTER COUPLED TO SAID SWITCH FOR COUNTINGTHE NUMBER OF TIMES SAID SWITCH IS ACTUATED, A BEAM RECEIVER AT SAIDTOLL GATE, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO